Detachable grip device comprising means for opening jaw-forming elements

ABSTRACT

A detachable grip device has a body, two jaw-forming elements which are mobile in relation to each other between an open position and a closed position, a system for displacing the jaw-forming elements which are designed in such a way as to be able to alternate between a stable closing state and a stable opening state, via an intermediate state of unstable equilibrium, and a system for opening the jaw-forming elements. The opening system is adapted in such a way as to drive the displacement system initially in their closed state past the intermediate state of unstable equilibrium. The opening system comprises at least one button which is arranged on a longitudinal side of the body and is mounted in a sliding manner according to a direction of displacement having a component in the transverse direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a detachable grip device for a kitchenaccessory, for example a detachable holder for a pan.

A detachable grip device is known of the type which comprises a gripbody, wherein two elements forming jaws that are mobile in translationwith respect to one another according to a longitudinal directionbetween an open position and a closed position in which they are able toclamp the skirt of a kitchen accessory, wherein means of moving thejaw-forming elements configured so as to pass from a stable closed statein which the two jaw-forming elements are in their closed position to astable open state in which the two jaw-forming elements are in theiropen position, and inversely, passing via an intermediate unstableequilibrium state, and means of opening the jaw-forming elements movablebetween a rest position in which they have no effect on the movementmeans, and an activation position in which they are adapted to drive themovement means initially in their closed state beyond their unstableintermediate state.

Such a device is for example described in the patent application FR 2842 717 wherein the opening means are formed by a manual control buttonthat is mounted in translation according to the longitudinal direction,on the upper face of the grip body so that in a natural position, thehand holding the handle has the thumb on the button. Furthermore, forsafety reasons (in order to avoid involuntarily moving the button fromits rest position to its activation position), the movement of thebutton is orientated as follows: the button in the rest position iscloser to the longitudinal end in contact with the kitchen accessorythan when it is in the activation position. Consequently, to drive thebutton to the activation position, the thumb must be bent, which is nota movement that is made involuntarily.

The problem of this grip device is that the orientation of the movementof the opening means is so unnatural that it has proven to beimpractical, especially due to the fact that the means for moving thejaw-forming elements comprise a lever that has a pivoting mounting onthe lower face of the grip body, and that, to actuate the opening of thejaw-forming elements, not only does the button located on the upper facehave to be pulled, but also the lever located on the lower face has tobe freed to permit the deployment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention aims to create a detachable grip device of theabove-mentioned type whose opening means are conformed so that they maynot be moved to their activation position involuntarily but withouttheir voluntary movement being awkward.

According to the invention, in the detachable grip device of theabove-mentioned type, the opening means comprise at least one buttonthat is located on a longitudinal side of the grip body, and that ismounted so that it slides according to a direction of movement with acomponent in the transversal direction.

Consequently, due to this lateral disposition, neither the thumb whichrests naturally on the upper face of the grip body, or the other fingerswhich naturally surround the body on a lateral face and the lower face,can accidentally actuate the manual control button. However, due to itslateral disposition, the index finger simply needs to be moved(unfolded) so that it reaches the manual control button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other specific features and advantages will become clear in thefollowing description of the embodiment provided by way ofnon-restrictive example and illustrated in the appended drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross section of a detachable grip deviceaccording to a first embodiment, wherein the jaw-forming elements are inthe open position and the movement means are in their open state.

FIG. 2 is a similar view to FIG. 1, wherein the forming elements are inthe closed position and the movement means are in their closed state.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front section of the datable gripdevice.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the cavity in the grip body that is adapted toaccommodate the opening means.

FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 4, wherein the cavity contains theopening means in the rest position, and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of part of the detachable grip deviceillustrating the interaction between the opening means and the movementmeans.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

As may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a detachable grip device 1 for akitchen accessory comprises a grip body 2 which mainly extends accordingto a longitudinal direction 3. When the grip device 1 is attached to aposition of the lateral wall of a kitchen accessory, the longitudinaldirection 3 is generally perpendicular to this lateral portion.

The detachable grip device 1 also comprises two jaw-forming elements 4,5 that are mobile with respect to one another (here in translationaccording to the longitudinal direction 3) between an open position anda closed position in which they are able to clamp the skirt of thekitchen accessory. In this embodiment, one 4 of the two jaw-formingelements has a fixed mounting on the grip body 2 (and more precisely ona first longitudinal end of this body so that it may come into contactwith the outside surface of the kitchen accessory), wherein the other 5has a mobile mounting on the body 2. Furthermore, the mobile jaw-formingelement 5 is solicited in its open position by a spring 6.

Moreover, in order to permit the movement of the jaw-forming elements 4,5, the detachable grip device comprises movement means 7. These movementmeans 7 are configured so that they may pass from a stable closed statein which the two jaw-forming elements 4, 5 are in their closed position,to a stable open state in which the two jaw-forming elements 4, 5 are intheir open position, and inversely, passing via an intermediate unstableequilibrium state. Consequently, in this embodiment, the two jaw-formingelements 4, 5 naturally remain in their closed position, without theuser needing to exert any effort whatsoever on the detachable gripdevice 1. In this example, the movement means 7 comprise a lever 8 thathas a pivoting mounting on the grip body 2 according to a pivot axis 9which extends according to a transversal direction 10 perpendicular tothe longitudinal direction 3, and transmission means 11 which permit themovement of the jaw-forming elements 4, 5 when the lever 8 is pivoted.In this case, the transmission means 11 comprise two connecting rods 12,12 b.

The lever 8 is positioned on the lower face of the grip body and ismobile between a retracted position and a deployed position, passing viaan intermediate unstable equilibrium position, wherein the positionsrespectively correspond to the closed, open and unstable equilibriumstates of the movement means 7. Furthermore, the movement means 7 alsocomprise a spring 13 that is located between the mobile jaw-formingelement 5 and an element 14 (that is also part of the transmission means11) that is articulated on the first connecting rod 12 and that ismounted in translation according to the longitudinal direction 3 in thegrip body 2. This spring 13 permits the distance separating the twojaw-forming elements 4, 5 in the closed position to be adjusted to suitthe thickness of the lateral wall of the kitchen accessory clamped. Thesecond connecting rod 12 b has a pivoting mounting, on its first end, tothe grip body 2, and by its second end to the first connecting rod 12according to an axis 12 c that is mounted so that it slides in a groovein the lever 8.

Moreover, the detachable grip device 1 comprises opening means 15 thatpermit the jaw-forming elements 4, 5 to be moved from their stableclosed position to their open position. The opening means 15 are mobilebetween a rest position in which they have no effect on the movementmeans 7, and an activation position in which they are adapted to drivethe movement means 7 initially in their closed state beyond theirintermediate unstable equilibrium state, so that once this state hasbeen passed through, the movement means 7 naturally pass to their stableopen state (and the jaw-forming elements 4, 5 naturally pass to theiropen position) especially due to the action of the spring 6 which drivesthe mobile jaw-forming element 5 and therefore the element 14 (via thespring 13), the two connecting rods 12, 12 b and the lever 8.

The opening means 15 comprise at least one button 16 a, 16 b that ispositioned on a longitudinal side of the grip body 2, and that ismounted so that it slides according to a direction with a component inthe transversal direction 10. In this embodiment, the opening means 15are formed by two buttons 16 a, 16 b, wherein each button 16 a, 16 b ispositioned on a longitudinal side of the grip body 2 that is specific toit. The two buttons 16 a, 16 b have a mounting that is mobile intranslation in a cavity 17 in the grip body 2, above the housing of thelever 8. Furthermore, the opening means 15 are solicited in their restposition by a spring 18 which, in this case, is located in the cavity 17between the two buttons 16 a, 16 b and comes into contact with thelatter so as to move them apart from one another, and so that in theirrest position the two buttons 16 a, 16 b protrude from the grip body 2through an opening 19 that opens out into the cavity 17.

In this embodiment, the interaction between the movement means 7 and theopening means 14 that are positioned above the movement means 7 isachieved by means of a drive surface 20 that is borne by the openingmeans 15 (in this case, a drive surface 20 is borne by each button 16 a,16 b) and which, when the opening means 15 are moved from their restposition to their activation position, can come into contact against anaccommodation surface 21 on the movement means 7 (in this case by thelever 8) and to move this accommodation surface 21 so as to drive themovement means 7 (the lever 8, and, by means of the axis 12 c, the twoconnecting rods 12, 12 b as well as the element 14) to their open state(in the deployed position) and the mobile jaw-forming element 5 to itsopen position. As may be seen in FIG. 6, for each button 16 a, 16 b, thedrive surface 20 is angled in the transversal 10 and vertical 22directions so that when the button 16 a, 16 b is driven in itsactivation position by movement in the transversal direction 10,initially, wherein the distance between drive surface 20 and theaccommodation surface 21 diminishes until contact occurs, andsubsequently the lever 8 (by the accommodation surface 20) is driven sothat it pivots until it crosses its intermediate unstable equilibriumposition.

Moreover, in order to improve the safety of the detachable grip device1, the cavity 17 and the two buttons 16 a, 16 b are configured and laidout so that the two buttons 16 a, 16 b cannot be moved to theiractivation position unless they are driven simultaneously. Consequently,if, in spite of the safety provided by the specific position of thebuttons 16 a, 16 b on the grip body 2, following the detachable gripdevice 1 hitting another element, one of the two buttons 16 a, 16 b ishit so that it is moved towards its activation position, this positionwill not be reached as the other button 16 a, 16 b has not also beendriven towards its activation position.

In this embodiment, this function is due to the fact that the cavity 17and the two buttons 16 a, 16 b are configured so that the buttons 16 a,16 b are mounted so that they are mobile in translation according to adirection of movement 23 with a transversal component 10 which permitsthe activation of the movement means 7, and a longitudinal component 3which permits the movement of a button 16 a to be blocked if the otherbutton 16 b is not also moved.

More precisely, as may be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, each button 16 a, 16 bcomprises a guide surface 24 a, 24 b which extends according to thedirection of movement 23 and that can slide along a guide ramp 25 in thecavity 17 and parallel to the corresponding guide surface 24 a, 24 b.Consequently, when a button 16 a is driven in the transversal direction10, it is also moved in the longitudinal direction 3. In complement tothis, at least one of the buttons 16 a comprises a bracket 26 a whichextends according to the transversal direction 10 in the direction ofthe other button 16 b, wherein this other button 16 b comprises ahousing 27 b which accommodates at least partially the bracket 26 a ofthe first button 16 a regardless of the position of the two buttons 16a, 16 b. In this case, each button 16 a, 16 b is conformed so that itcomprises at least one bracket 26 a, 26 b and at least one housing 27 a,27 b. In order to block the buttons 16 a, 16 b when they are movedunitarily, the dimensions in the longitudinal direction 3 of the housing27 a and the bracket 26 b accommodated in this housing 27 a are suchthat, when a single button 16 a is moved, the bracket 26 b and thehousing 27 a that is associated to it come into contact with one anotherdue to their relative longitudinal movement. Due to this contact, thefixed button 16 b immobilises the button 16 a moved before the latterreached the position in which it drove the movement means 7 to theiropen state by passing through their intermediate unstable equilibriumstate. In this case, to ensure maximum safety, the dimensions in thelongitudinal direction 3 of each bracket 26 a, 26 b and each associatedhousing 27 a, 27 b are substantially identical so that the two buttons16 a, 16 b may only be moved simultaneously.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A detachable grip device comprising a grip bodyincluding two elements form jaws that are mobile in translation withrespect to one another according to a longitudinal direction between anopen position and a closed position in which the jaws are able to clampthe skirt of a kitchen accessory, means for moving the jaw-formingelements from a stable closed state in which the two jaw-formingelements are in the closed position and a stable open state in which thetwo jaw-forming elements are in the open position, and inversely,passing via an intermediate unstable equilibrium state, and means foropening the jaw-forming elements between a rest position in which theopening means have no effect on the movement means, and an activationposition in which the opening means are adapted to drive the movementmeans initially in the closed state beyond the intermediate unstableequilibrium state, and the opening means comprising at least one buttonthat is located on a longitudinal side of the grip body and that ismounted as to slide according to a direction of movement having acomponent in a transverse direction that is perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction.
 12. The detachable grip device of claim 11,wherein the movement means comprise a lever that is mobile in a pivotaxis which extends according to the transverse direction between aretracted position and a deployed position, passing via an intermediateunstable equilibrium position, wherein these three positionsrespectively correspond to the closed, open and unstable equilibriumstates of the movement means.
 13. The detachable grip device of claim11, wherein the opening means comprise a drive surface which, when theopening means are moved from the rest position to the activationposition, can come into contact against an accommodation surface on themovement means and to move said accommodation surface so as to drive themovement means to the open state.
 14. The detachable grip device ofclaim 13, wherein the accommodation surface is borne by the lever. 15.The detachable grip device of claim 11, wherein the opening meanscomprise two buttons which are mounted as to slide in a cavity in thegrip body and wherein each said button is positioned on a longitudinalside of the grip body that is specific to it.
 16. The detachable gripdevice of claim 15, wherein the cavity and the two buttons areconfigured and laid out so that the two buttons cannot be moved to theiractivation position unless the buttons are driven simultaneously. 17.The detachable grip device of claim 16, wherein the cavity and the twobuttons are configured and laid out so that the direction of movement ofeach said button has a longitudinal component which permits the movementof a respective button to be blocked if the other button is not alsomoved.
 18. The detachable grip device of claim 17, wherein each saidbutton comprises a guide surface which extends according to thedirection of movement and that can slide along a corresponding guideramp in the cavity that is parallel to said guide surface.
 19. Thedetachable grip device of claim 18, wherein at least a first one of thebuttons comprises a bracket which extends according to the transversedirection in the direction of a seconding of the buttons which comprisesa housing which accommodates at least partially the bracket of the firstbutton regardless of the position of the two buttons, wherein dimensionsin the longitudinal direction of the housing and the bracketaccommodated in the housing are such that, when the first button ismoved, the bracket and the corresponding housing come into contact withone another due to the relative longitudinal movement before themovement means are driven to the open state by passing through theunstable intermediate state.
 20. The detachable grip device of claim 19,wherein the dimensions in the longitudinal direction of the bracket andthe housing which accommodates the bracket are substantially identicalso that the two buttons may only be moved simultaneously.